AWARDS GALORE FOR HITCHIN

BY FLT LT ERICA VEY
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Friday 18th April 2008 was a busy night for 1066 (Hitchin) Squadron. It was its annual awards evening which provides the cadets, staff, committee members, family and friends the opportunity to look back on achievements over the past year by the squadron and individual cadets. 2007 saw 1066 being crowned as best squadron in Herts & Bucks Wing, winners of the Wing aviation day competition and April 2008 saw the squadron representing the Wing as the Lee’s trophy inspection nomination.

The reviewing Officer for the awards evening was the Squadron’s President Air Vice-Marshal Alan Merriman. Wing Commander David Henson was also in attendance. Upon AVM Merriman’s arrival at the squadron he inspected all of the cadets on parade escorted by Flt Sgt Lewis Stockwell (17) and Sqn Ldr Paul Mimpress, WSO for the squadron who was also presenting the evening. This was on behalf of 1066 Sqn Commanding Officer Flt Lt Erica Vey who is recovering from her third lot of surgery this week following her injury at annual camp. The inspection was followed by a march past and band display led by Drum Major Flt Sgt Lewis Stockwell (17).


A review of the past year presented by Sqn Ldr Mimpress followed and also a short talk by Martin Vey, Treasurer of the Civilian Committee and Flt Sgt Stockwell spoke about the band. Refreshments were then provided by the Civilian Committee and this gave parents and family the opportunity to look at the static displays produced by the cadets.

Wing Commander Henson then presented a host of certificates including eight wing blues, seven examination certificates, three bronze and two silver Duke of Edinburgh’s Awards, one Air Cadet Pilot Scheme certificate to Sgt Emilie Pearson (17) and seven bronze National Navigation Awards. Sgt Samuel James (17) was awarded a Diana Award for his hard work and effort at the squadron above and beyond that expected of a cadet.

Annual awards were presented by AVM Merriman. The Warrant Officer’s Award for highest uniform inspection scores for the year went to Cdt Oliver Martin (15), The High Flyer Award for examination results was awarded to Sgt Michael Page (17) who achieved the equivalent of six GCSE A*-C grade with the squadron during the last year. Cdt Charlotte Hunt (14) was presented with the Freddy Petch Endeavour Shield. The Erica Vey Award for the cadet(s) that helps others to further achieve went to Sgt Samuel James (17).

The Marksmanship Award was presented to Cpl Matthew Woodward (15) for the highest shooting scores over the past year. The Cadet of the Year award based on monthly scores went to Cdt Emiko Kemp (14). The highest points for sporting event attendance, medals and wing blues for the title of Sports Cadet of the Year was awarded to Cpl Mariko Kemp (16). Best NCO of the year was presented to Sgt Benjamen Reed (16). Flt Sgt Lewis Stockwell (17) was awarded the Merriman Cup for Commitment. Commanding Officer’s Commendations were awarded to Flt Sgt Lewis Stockwell (17), Cdt Meredith Orman-Brown (16) and Cdt Daisy Buck (14).

When Cdt Tom Young died in 2000 his parents donated a trophy in his memory. The trophy is awarded annually to the most improved cadet of the year. This year it was presented to Cdt Henry Wisdom (15).

Flt Lt Tony Farrell RAFVR(T) Retd, Chairman of the Civilian Committee sadly died in April 2007 after a short illness. His family have kindly presented an annual award in Tony’s memory. The award is the Tony Farrell Musician of the Year award. Tony originally set up the band in the 1980s and assisted Flt Lt Erica Vey to re-form it again in 2005 when she took command of the squadron. The first presentation of the special award went to Cdt Gary Pestell (15) who in the past year has worked extremely hard during practices, parades and competitions. He plays bugle in the 1066 band and trombone in the Wing band.

RADIO SUCCESS FOR 1066

BY CDT SGT SAMUEL JAMES
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Four cadets from 1066 (Hitchin) Sqn have attended a weekend radio course run by Herts & Bucks Wing Radio Flight. Cdts Charlotte Hunt (14), Emiko Kemp (14) and Oliver Martin (15) attended the Basic Radio course along with another twenty five cadets and all passed with flying colours. Sgt Samuel James (17) attended the Under Training (U/T) Instructors Radio course with eight other cadets from the Wing and was learning to lecture the Basic course cadets on subjects such as RSVP, Networks, and Project Tango.

Basic course cadets received well-presented lectures from the U/T cadets covering a wide range of topics over the weekend.

Sgt James said, “The course was admittedly rather intensive, but we had the opportunity to put all the skills we had learnt in the classroom into practice in a night exercise on the Saturday evening. The fact that all Basic cadets on the course passed is an outstanding result and is also credit to the Wing Radio Communications Officer Flt Lt Mott, his team of staff and the U/T cadets”.

Flt Lt Mott took over the Wing Radio Flight in 2007 and plans are already in motion to raise the profile of the Wing Radio Flt by assisting in communications at events such as the Wing Exercise, athletics and Aviation Day.

RANK SWAP CHALLENGE FOR 1066 SQUADRON CADETS

BY CDT SGT SAMUEL JAMES
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For the cadets of 1066 (Hitchin) Squadron, Monday 11^th February was certainly an upside-down parade night. The squadron ran its first ever rank swap event. For the evening, nine lucky cadets had the opportunity to be cadet NCOs themselves. The actual cadet NCOs had the chance to relive their old cadet past and took off their own rank slides for the night.

The rank-swapping NCOs had the enormous task of taking on their squadron NCOs jobs and roles including getting the cadets on parade, doing First Parade, taking drill, teaching lectures and even coping with a practise fire drill. Cdt Henry Wisdom (15) who played the role of Cadet Sergeant said “the evening gave a chance for the cadets to step into the shoes of the NCOs. It showed me just how difficult it is to be an NCO and definitely made the cadets realise what fantastic NCOs they have and take for granted”.

Event organiser Sgt Samuel James (17) said “the cadets who were NCOs for the night performed extremely well considering some of them haven’t even been in the ATC for very long. Thanks also to Flt Sgt Stockwell (17) and Plt Off Fox for their help, without it, the evening would not have been such a success”. Cdt Charlotte Hunt (14) who played the part of Cadet Flt Sgt, remarked that the evening was “a well organised evening and thoroughly enjoyed by all who took part”.

Cadets in the swap included (with their ranks for the evening):

Front row: FS Charlotte Hunt, CWO Daisy Buck
Centre row: Sgt Henry Wisdom, Sgt Conor Smith, Sgt Michael Barnes
Rear row: Cpl Holly Somerville, Cpl Katherine Swift, Cpl Oliver Martin, Cpl Abigail Edis

Hitchin Hitting The Right Note

BY CDT SGT SAMUEL JAMES
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Cadets from 1066 (Hitchin) Squadron have recently enjoyed the sweet sound of success resulting from their first-ever concert, ‘An Evening Of Music’, held at the Town Hall, Hitchin. Guests of honour included Squadron President, AVM Alan Merriman and Herts & Bucks WSO, Sqn Ldr Paul Mimpress.

The beginning of the evening, opened with a spectacular performance from the 1066 Corps of Drums playing in the dark with glow-sticks! The audience then enjoyed further performances with Cdt Ben Irwin playing a medley of tunes on the bell-lyre and a solo piano piece. Cdt Holly Somerville also played a beautiful, moving piano solo too. Cdt Charlotte Hunt followed with a delightful flute piece. Next, it was the brass and woodwind section’s time to shine. Composed of Flt Sgt Christopher Moore, Cpl Michael Page, Cdt Gary Pestell and Cdt Charlotte Hunt, the four performed another wonderful piece of music to the lucky spectators.

Following the interval, guests then enjoyed a fanfare piece from the brass and woodwind section followed by guitar and vocal solo performances from Sgts Samuel James and Lewis Stockwell. To round the evening off on a high note, the Marching Band of 1066 (Hitchin) Squadron played their current running order of tunes to the audience.

The squadron was fortunate enough to receive some wonderful gifts for the raffle that evening, donated from various local companies, friends and families of the squadron. Particular mention goes to the squadron’s civilian committee for their support during the evening, members of the Priory School, Hitchin who helped with the PA system and lighting and parents who assisted setting up the hall before the performance. The last mention to go to Sergeant Lewis Stockwell, who organised the event itself and the success of the concert is evidence of his and his fellow cadets’ hard work and dedication. The squadron raised approximately £1000 from the evening.

1066 Members Attend Wing Awards Ceremony

BY CDT SGT SAMUEL JAMES
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Congratulations to CI Vey, FS Moore, Sgt Kemp and Cpl James who were presented with their 500 Millennium Volunteers award. Another big congratulations and thank you is in order for CI Pete Dawson who received a ATC Long Service award for more than 14 years of service helping cadets at 1066 Sqn. Apart from being presented with their awards by Commanding Officer, Herts and Bucks Wing, Wg Cdr Henson, the award recipients were also permitted to take a look around Halton House, RAF Halton's Officer's mess.

Wing Aviation Day Results - 2006

Herts & Bucks Wing were very much surprised by 1066's turnaround success from being bottom of Aviation Day 2005 to winning the Music trophy and Overall Competition in 2006! Well done to all and some other well dones are in order:

SGT WATTS - BEST DRUM MAJOR
CDT PAGE - BEST SOLO BUGLER
CDT PEARSON - FIRST CLASS 1 PHOTOGRAPHY
FS MOORE - FIRST TORNADO MODEL
CPL JAMES - 3RD NEWSLETTER
BEST SEA HARRIER MODEL (AND BEST IN SHOW)
RTP - 2ND PLACE DIORAMA - 2ND PLACE DRILL JOINT - 2ND PLACE
OVERALL MUSIC TROPHY
OVERALL WINNERS